Every great event begins with a destination. It’s not just the backdrop—it’s the mood, the culture, the heartbeat of the experience. From walkable downtowns and iconic skylines to local flavors and unique experiences, destinations are the canvas on which every event is painted.
Yet for all their importance, destinations are often the most overlooked piece of the sourcing puzzle.
Why Destinations Matter More Than Ever
In the post-pandemic resurgence of events, destinations are playing a leading role. Planners are not just picking a hotel—they’re choosing a story to tell, an experience to create, and a community to partner with.
According to the Destinations International 2024 planner sentiment report, 84% of planners say that a destination’s appeal influences the success of their event. But planners also report that finding the right destination partner can be frustrating and time-consuming.
Pain Points for Destination Teams (CVBs/DMOs)
While cities and tourism boards are essential in connecting planners to local resources, they face several common challenges:
- Information Overload: Most DMO websites are packed with data, but it’s often hard to navigate or interpret for specific event needs.
- Fragmented Communication: Planners are bounced between different departments or external partners, making the process feel disjointed.
- Lack of Visibility into Supplier Readiness: It’s not always clear which hotels, venues, and services are truly group-ready.
- No Way to Track RFPs: DMOs often don’t know what was sourced or booked after making an introduction.
- Underutilized Local Partners: Smaller or newer suppliers get left out in favor of known names.
- Overdependence on Trade Shows: Many CVBs rely on a few large events for planner engagement—with limited reach.
What Happens When Destinations Are Left Out
When cities aren’t brought into the process early or effectively:
- Suppliers Struggle Alone: Hotels and venues lose group business that might have been a perfect fit.
- Missed Economic Impact: Cities lose opportunities to drive tourism, tax revenue, and visibility.
- Planner Fatigue: Searching across dozens of disconnected sites creates more work for planners.
- Unbalanced Promotion: The same suppliers get all the leads, while new gems remain hidden.
The Pivot: Why Virsitour Focused on Destinations
When Virsitour launched during the pandemic, it was created to support in-person, hybrid, and virtual events. But as the industry began to recover, it became clear that planners needed more than just tech platforms—they needed streamlined ways to source entire event ecosystems.
That’s when Virsitour pivoted to focus on four core areas: hotels, venues, event services (which often include virtual providers), and destinations.
We saw that cities weren’t just a location—they were the soul of the event. Yet planners struggled to make sense of DMO websites, download dozens of PDFs, and track down who to call. There was no single place where all the information lived in a format designed for planners.
That’s why we created a streamlined way to explore destinations side-by-side, with featured hotels, venues, services, and key local intel all in one place. No digging. No guessing. Just clear, qualified sourcing.
What Forward-Thinking Destinations Are Doing
Cities that lead the way are:
- Centralizing event sourcing support for planners
- Curating supplier lists with relevant specs and visuals
- Partnering with platforms like Virsitour to get their suppliers seen
- Offering incentives for early RFPs and first-time groups
- Telling the destination story with video, local insights, and itineraries
This isn’t just about promotion—it’s about participation. Destinations that give planners tools to act, not just browse, win more business for everyone.
Destination-Led Planning Starts Here
Cities are more than a pin on the map—they’re strategic partners in creating unforgettable events.
If you’re part of a destination marketing organization or tourism board looking to connect your local suppliers with qualified planners and simplify your sourcing process, book a demo of Virsitour. Let us help you tell your story in a way that gets results.
Next up: Unified Sourcing – Why Events Work Better When Everyone Is Aligned.